NY woman pleads guilty to embezzlement

Sheila Shattuck, accused of stealing from her former employer, Fall Creek Family Dentist, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge Tuesday after facing a 17-count indictment. A second indictment is pending against her.

Shattuck, 41, of Cortland, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of petit larceny, a misdemeanor, satisfying a 17-count indictment from April that included 16 counts of first-degree falsifying business records and one count of third-degree grand larceny. After rejecting two plea offers, Shattuck’s trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday morning in Tompkins County Court.

The second, six-count indictment handed up Thursday includes two counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, two counts of second-degree forgery and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

According to the summary of facts filed in Tompkins County Court related to the first indictment, between March 1, 2013 and July 30, 2014, Shattuck allegedly deleted cash transactions from the accounting records and instead entered false records purporting to reflect credit card payments in the same amounts. By creating the false credit card payment records, the summary of facts states, Shattuck prevented detection of the theft of cash.

Previously, Shattuck was offered two plea deals. If she paid restitution in the amount of $4,530, she could plead guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny and be sentenced to two to four years as a predicate felon. If restitution was not paid, she could plead guilty to third-degree grand larceny with a sentence of three to six years.

Her sentencing is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. March 17. Restitution will be sought separately. Shattuck’s current securing order of $3,000 cash or $20,000 bond continues, but she has posted bail already.

No court date has been scheduled yet related to the second indictment.